Knitted t-shirt hot presser and folder and method

ABSTRACT

A method of and apparatus for pressing and folding knitted Tshirts, which involve pressing each T-shirt in a heated pressure and then immediately folding the T-shirt, with no intervening operations, so as to minimize cooling of the T-shirt subsequent to pressing and prior to folding. Folding the T-shirt while in a heated condition in this fashion results in a neatly folded product with a minimum of wrinkling.

United States- Patent [1 1 Sjoman rm 3,846,924 1 Nov. 12, 1974 KNITTED T-SHlRT HOT PRESSER AND FOLDER AND METHOD Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 191,448, Oct. 2l, I971,

abandoned.

[52] US. Cl. 38/2 [51] Int. Cl.. D06f 61/00, D06f 63/00, D06f 69/00 [58] Fieldof Search 270/66; 38/2, 7-11,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Long 38/l43 X 2,070,996 2/1937 Meyer 38/) 2,782,536 2/1957 Kroener et al.... 38/ll 2,972,200 2/l96l Beks 38/5 3,l07,447 l0/l963 Tucci 38/]0 3,228,l27 H1966 Roiland 38/l43 3,406,472 l0/l968 Solomon 38/17 Primary Examiner-Geo. V. Larkin Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Harris, Kern, Wallcn &

Tinsley [57] ABSTRACT A method of and apparatus for pressing and folding knitted T-shirts, which involve pressing each T-shirt in a heated pressure and then immediately folding the T-shirt, with no intervening operations, so as to minimize cooling of the T-shirt subsequent to pressing and prior to folding. Folding the T-shirt while in a heated condition in this fashion results in a neatly folded product with a minimum of wrinkling.

2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures KNITTED T-SHIRT HOT PRESSER AND FOLDER AND METHOD This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 191,448, filed Oct. 21, 1971 and now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION The present invention relates in general to a method of and apparatus for folding T-shirts of knitted fabric, and particularly knitted cotton fabric, although it may be used with other knitted fabrics as well.

ble to the folding machine disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 68,930, filed Sept. 2, 1970, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,777,903 by Clyde R'."Wilson, John L. Montoya, Casper L. Bullett and me, and assigned to the same assignee as the present application. Consequently, the disclosure of said copending application is incorporated herein by reference.

More particularly, the folding machine of the afore' mentioned copending application folds each knitted T-shirt around a card with two initiallongitudinal folds around the respective longitudinal edges of the card followed by two transverse folds around the respective transverse edges thereof. The two longitudinal folds are made simultaneously at a longitudinal folding station and the two transverse folds are made sequentially at first and second transverse folding stations.

SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF INVENTION The primary object of the invention is to provide a method of and apparatus'for folding knitted T-shirts more neatly and with less wrinkling than heretofore possible, whether they are folded inthe machine of the aforementioned copending application, or in other machines.

More particularly, the primary object of the invention is to press each knitted T-shirt in a heated presser immediately prior to folding, with no intervening operations between pressing and folding. Consequently, cooling of the T-shirt subsequent to pressing and prior to folding is minimized so that the T-shirt is folded while still in a heated condition. This procedure results in a very neatly folded T-shirt with a minimum of wrinkling, which are important features of the invention.

Considering the reason for the improved results achieved with folding knitted T-shirts in a heated con dition, l have found that the application of heat to the T-shirt immediately prior to folding locks the fibers of the fabric temporarily so as to reduce stretching of the fabric during the folding operation. Minimizing stretching during folding in this fashion results in much neater folds with minimum wrinkling, which are important features. I

With the foregoing in mind, another important object of the invention is to providea combination hot presser and folder which includes means for conveying each heated T-shirt directly from the presser to the folder without any intervening operations, and without any 2 manipulations in between to disturb the heat locked fibers of the knitted T-shirt fabric. 7

With the foregoing in mind, an important object of the invention is to provide a combination hot presser and folder for knitted T-shirts, including: a presser comprising a generally horizontal presser conveyor having inlet and outlet ends and a heated presser head above the conveyor intermediate its inlet and outlet ends, the conveyor being adapted to have a knitted T- shirt placed thereon neck end first in a generally horizontal position at its inlet end and being adapted to carry the T-shirt under the presser head to be heated thereby; a folder having an inlet end in register with the outlet end of the presser conveyor and adapted to receive the pressed and heated T-shirt; and whereby the pressed and heated T-shirt is delivered directly from the presser to the folder with no intervening operations so as to minimize cooling of the T-shirt subsequent to pressing and prior to folding.

Still another important object of the invention is to provide a hot presser which includes an inlet guide carried by the presser head above the presser conveyor,

adjacent the inlet end of the latter, and having a width substantially equal to the width of the neck of the T- shirt, such inlet guide curving downwardly toward the presser conveyor in the direction of conveyor movement. With this construction, it is merely necessary for the operator to insert the neck of the T-shirt under the inlet guide and then, in virtually the same motion, spread the shoulders of the T-shirt out flat on the presser conveyor, whereupon the latter takes the T- shirt under the presser head. With the foregoing construction, T-shirts may be fed into the hot presser very quickly and easily and with a minimum of effort.

The foregoing objects, advantages, features and results of the present invention, together with various' DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a combination hot presser and folder of the invention for knitted T-shirts, the folder being shown fragmentarily;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view showing a knitted T-shirt being inserted into the inlet end of the presser;

and FIGS. 3 and 4 are side elevational views showing a knitted T-shirt being conveyed through the presser.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT OF INVENTION In the drawing, the combination hot presser and folder of the invention is designated generally by the numeral 10 and includes a hot presser 12 having inlet and outlet ends 14 and 16 and a folder 18 having an inlet 20 in register with the presser outlet end 16, Thus, a knitted T-shirt 22 heated and pressed by the presser 12, in a manner to be described, is delivered directly to the folder 18, with no intervening operations. As previously pointed out, this minimizes cooling of the pressed and heated T-shirt, and minimizes any disturbance of trained around rolls 28, 30 and 32, the roll 30 being spaced from the outlet end 16 of the presser 12. The conveyor 24 further includes laterally spaced cables 34 overlying the belt 26 and also trained around the rolls 28 and 32. The cables 34 are trained around a third roll 36 at the outlet end 16 of the presser 12. As best shown in FIG. 2, the width of the conveyor belt 26 is slightly less than the maximum width of the T-Shirt 22 when the sleeves thereof are extended laterally.

Above the conveyor 24, intermediate the ends of the upper run of the belt 26,, is an elongated presser head 38 which is heated electrically, or otherwise. The presser head is supported by cylinders 40 which control the pressure applied to the T-shirt 22, and by means of which the presser head may be lifted clear of the conveyor 24. The portion of the conveyor 24 beneath the presser head 38 is preferably supported by a bed of small transverse rollers 42.

As best shown in FIG. 2, the width of the presser head 38 is considerably less than the width of the conveyor 24 and the width of the T-shirt 22. Consequently, it heats and presses only the central longitudinal portion of the T-shirt 22. More particularly, the width of the presser head 38 only slightlyexceeds the folded width of the T-shirt 22, Le, the width of the presser head 38 only slightly exceeds the spacing between the two longitudinal folds to be made by the folder 18. I find it unnecessary to heat and press the shoulder and side portions of the T-shirt in order to obtain the results which the present invention achieves.

The presser head 38 is provided at its inlet end with a primary inlet guide 44 above the conveyor 24 adjacent its inlet end and having a width substantially equal to the width of the neck of the T-shirt 22, as best shown in FIG. 2. The primary inlet guide 44 curves downwardly toward the conveyor 24 in the direction of conveyor movement. Downstream from the primary inlet guide 44 is a secondary inlet guide 46 similar to the primary inlet guide, but having a width greater than the width of the primary inlet guide. and substantially equal to the width of the presser head 38. A transverse bar 48 at the inlet end 14 of the presser l2 spans the width of the conveyor 24 and is convex in the upstream directlon.

With the foregoingconstruction, the operator inserts the neck of the T-shirt 22' between the primary inlet guide'44 and the conveyor 24, asshown in FIG. 2. Upon insertion of the neck of the T-shirt 22 between the conveyor 24 and the primaryinlet guide 44, the operator immediately spreads the shoulders of the T-shirt laterally of the conveyor 24 by simultaneous leftward and rightward motions of his or her left and right hands. The inlet bar 48 partially supports the T-shirt 22 to facilitate these operations. As soon as the conveyor 24 has moved the T-shirt 22 a short distance, the secondary inlet guide 46 guides it under the inlet end of the presser head 38.

After the central portion of the T-shirt 22, i.e., the

' portion which is to be folded subsequently and which is exposed after folding, has been heated and pressed bypassage between the conveyor 24 and the presser head 38, the cables 34 carry the T-shirt to and feed it into the inlet end 20 of the folder 18, with no intervening operations of any kind. Thus, cooling of the T-shirt 22 subsequent to pressing and prior to folding is minimized so that the T-shirt enters the folder. 18 with the central portion thereof at essentially the same temperature to which'it was heated by the presser head 38. As previously pointed out, this avoids any disturbance of the heat set fibers in the central portion of the T-shirt 22 so that these heat set fibers resist stretching of the knitted fabric in the areas of the T-shirt which are folded, and in the areas which are exposed upon folding. The results is a neatly folded product with a minimum of wrinkling, which are important features.

Although an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been disclosed for purposes of illustration, it will be understood that various changes, modifications and substitutions may be incorporated in such embodiment without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims hereinafter appearing.

I claim as my invention: 1. A method of pressing and folding a knitted T-shirt, including the steps of:

applying heat and pressure at a central zone only of a knitted T-shirt to lock together the fibers of the knitted fabric; and while the fabric remains heated and the fibers remain locked, folding the T-shirt along fold lines adjacent and extending along opposite edges of the central zone, leaving a pressed portion of the T-shirt exposed to view. 2. The method set forth in claim 1 including the additional step of continuously moving the T-shirt during the application of heat and pressure to the T-shirt and during the folding thereof. 

1. A method of pressing and folding a knitted T-shirt, including the steps of: applying heat and pressure at a central zone only of a knitted T-shirt to lock together the fibers of the knitted fabric; and while the fabric remains heated and the fibers remain locked, folding the T-shirt along fold lines adjacent and extending along opposite edges of the central zone, leaving a pressed portion of the T-shirt exposed to view.
 2. The method set forth in claim 1 including the additional step of continuously moving the T-shirt during the application of heat and pressure to the T-shirt and during the folding thereof. 